Tuesday, 26 January 1858
Perfectly clear, & colder than ever. Rose at 8 ― having read from 3 to 5 or 6. What a contrast to those of last year are these still quiet nights! Yet the cold or indigestion made me cross. ― I finished Lord Headfort’s little picture & sent it, & after that, worked without stopping ― from 11 to 5 on a new painting of Ιωάννινα.1 ―
Gorgeous gold & blue sunset, as I walked out to usual S. Roco & crossroad Καστραδες2 round, ― dining alone afterwards, & writing out a page or two of that snail Athos Journal. ― The Westminster turns over a bold leaf this year!
X15
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3. Previously published in Lear 1988, 123-4.]